Trump Rails at ‘Fake News’ Report He Knew Russia Offered Bounties to Kill U.S. Soldiers: ‘Just Another Phony Times Hit Job’
President Donald Trump went on a Sunday morning tweetstorm against The New York Times, denying their report that he knew the Russian government was offering secret bounties for the deaths of U.S. soldiers.
Nobody briefed or told me, Vice President Pence, or Chief of Staff Mark Meadows about the so-called attacks on our troops in Afghanistan by Russians, as reported through an “anonymous source” by the Fake News New York Times. Everybody is denying it & there have not been many attacks on us…Nobody’s been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration. With Corrupt Joe Biden & Obama, Russia had a field day, taking over important parts of Ukraine – Where’s Hunter? Probably just another phony Times hit job, just like their failed Russia Hoax. Who is their “source”?
…Nobody’s been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration. With Corrupt Joe Biden & Obama, Russia had a field day, taking over important parts of Ukraine – Where’s Hunter? Probably just another phony Times hit job, just like their failed Russia Hoax. Who is their “source”?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2020
After taking a break to tweet out a video of his supporters shouting “white power,” Trump leveled another attack at Biden:
Funny to see Corrupt Joe Biden reading a statement on Russia, which was obviously written by his handlers. Russia ate his and Obama’s lunch during their time in office, so badly that Obama wanted them out of the then G-8. U.S. was weak on everything, but especially Russia!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2020
Minor side note: Trump wants Russia re-instated into the G7, which used to be the G8 until Obama led the charge to exclude Russia from organization as penalty for their annexation of Crimea.
Eventually, Trump went back to attacking the Times.
The Fake News @ nytimes must reveal its “anonymous” source. Bet they can’t do it, this “person” probably does not even exist! https://t.co/pdg4AjybOG
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2020
As Trump accepts the denials of Vladimir Putin and the Taliban, the Times has reported that Trump was briefed months ago about an arrangement where Russian military intelligence offered secret bounties to Taliban-linked militias for killing coalition forces in Afghanistan, including U.S. troops. The report says Trump knew about this as early as March, but has not confronted Russia about it nor taken any action against them.
While it does not deny the accusations against Russia, the DNI released a statement insisting Trump was not briefed on the intelligence claimed by the Times.
"The White House statement addressing this issue earlier today, which denied such a briefing occurred, was accurate. The New York Times reporting, and all other subsequent news reports about such an alleged briefing are inaccurate.” (2/2)
— Office of the DNI (@ODNIgov) June 28, 2020
